1. Rock out a lot
Three distinct rock music festivals are held in Latvia this weekend, of which Kubana is definitely the most foreigner-friendly as international acts like HIM, D12, Panic! At The Disco, Leningrad and others take the stage in Lucavsala from August 6 to August 9.
The RockUp festival, on the other hand, will bring fans of rock'n'roll, rockabilly, boogie-woogie, rhythm'n'blues, hard rock, and ska to the Turbas recreational complex near Ikšķile (which celebrates its 830th birthday at the same time, by the way).
From August 7 to August 8 bands like Johnny B Beast, Gud, Mozambika, Keksi & Orchestra, Rebel Riot, and the The Big Bluff will perform for a predictably wild crowd. Info & tickets.
Live rock music in a lively fest with a lively name. LiveFest '15 in Kuldīga will bring stars like Bay City Rollers, Sweet, Secret Service, SLADE and The Rubettes - along with a number of local acts - to bring noise pollution to the small town of Kuldīga. August 7 and August 8.
2. International festival "Ballet stars"
The XVI international ballet festival Ballet stars in Jurmala offers some nice contrast with all the rock music, don't you think? The Gala concert of the festival will be held on August 7 at 20:00 at the Dzintari Concert Hall, featuring dancers from Korea, Russia, Ukraine, and the US.
3. Sports in Ventspils
If rock'n'roll is too loud but ballet is too soft, perhaps sports can strike a sort of a balance between the two.
On August 7, 8 and 9 the Ghetto Games basketball festival in Ventspils will feature more than 1,000 participants from 25 countries across the globe. Viewers will particularly love trick jumps - performed by athletes from more than 16 countries - in the Ventspils skate park and dirt park.
Inline skating, street dance, wakeboarding, skateboarding and even arm wrestling competitions will start the adrenaline pumping, while a breezy walk by the Ventspils sea coast will mellow it out at the evening. Participants of all ages are welcome. Festival program.
4. Chamber music in the woods
The 2nd annual Chamber music festival "Sansusī" will be held in the Aknīste region on several open-air stages - one of them in the middle of a forest, - on August 7, 8 and 9. The festival combines the rock music festival experience (spending the night in a tent) with academic music.
Sans souci, for those of you who don't speak French, is "without worries". The festival will feature several original pieces by renowned composers Linda Leimane and Kristaps Pētersons, and it's the first place where compositions and song cycles by the two will be performed for the first time. More info - Latvian only, though Google Translate should help. Don't worry, you'll find it.
5. Weekend Festival Baltic
LSM is a Latvian site, but we have lots of love for our Estonian friends, who have attracted a number of jaw-droppingly famous artists to the scenic Parnu beach.
The Weekend Festival Baltic, featuring artists like Tiësto, Headhunterz, Armin Van Buuren, David Guetta and others, is held from August 6 to August 8 not too far from the Latvian border. Info & tickets.
And those of you visiting Latvia next week - brace yourselves for the Riga City Festival next weekend.
